Nebraska State Fair will host US Senate debate between Osborn, Ricketts

LINCOLN — The Nebraska State Fair is hosting a debate between registered nonpartisan U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn and incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts next month. 

This is the first debate at the state fair in recent years, with the last one being in 2018 when U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., debated state Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln, a member of the Lincoln City Council at the time, and then-Gov. Ricketts debated state Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha for governor.

News Channel Nebraska will moderate the Sept. 1 debate at Big Iron Events Center. In addition to NCN, The Examiner, Flatwater Free Press, and the Omaha World-Herald will also be part of the debate, with reporters serving as a panel to ask the candidates questions.

Ricketts said in a statement that he is excited about the debate, and that as governor and in the U.S. Senate he has “delivered safer streets, a secure border, and put more money back in Nebraskans’ pockets,” and “worked to deliver common-sense solutions for Nebraska families.”

“I’m excited to share that record with Nebraskans while discussing my vision for continuing to fight for them in Washington,” Ricketts said. 

Osborn said he’s looking forward to “getting in front of Nebraska voters, and making it crystal clear that I’ll stand for the working class and take their concerns to Washington, D.C.” 

“At the State Fair, Nebraskans will get to see the clear contrast between me and … Pete Ricketts, and I’m excited to show them why my vision is right for this state,” Osborn said in his statement. 

The Senate race has been heated. Osborn is hoping to do better than his 7-percentage-point loss to Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024. Ricketts, who was governor of Nebraska from 2015 to 2023 before being appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2023, is facing one of his toughest challenges yet, as Osborn could prove to be a more serious candidate than Ricketts has faced in the past as an incumbent.

Legal Marijuana NOW Party’s U.S. Senate nominee Mike Marvin is still in the race, but he hasn’t qualified for the debate. 

This is likely the only debate in the race. The election is Nov. 3.